Clipper holder

ABSTRACT

A clipper holder, for electrical hair clippers, includes an upper enclosure with a major arc element having a diameter to accommodate the clipper. Left and right portions of the major arc element terminate in opposing blunt ends. The space between the opposing ends is wide enough to allow passage of the clipper&#39;s cord. A lower enclosure has a smaller major arc element that is coplanar and coaxial with the upper enclosure. The smaller major arc element can accommodate the clipper&#39;s cord. Left and right portions of the smaller major arc element are contiguous with curvilinear portions that extend forward, curving upward toward the opposing blunt ends, finishing as vertical extensions with blunt tips. The vertical extensions prevent forward movement of an enclosed clipper. The smaller major arc element prevents movement anywhere else but up. An angled connecting rear rod supports the enclosures and is attached to a mounting plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a clipper holder for electric hairclippers, wherein the clipper holder can be mounted on a shelf edge or awall, individually or in groups on a rack.

2. Background

Barber/stylist have a plurality of sizes of clippers, where each size isspecialized for a certain type of cut; and where often each size has abackup hair clipper. The background of clipper racks and clipper holderscan be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,579 to Jeffrey K. DuPont. Dupontteaches that each holder has two side retaining arms respectivelyextending from opposite ends of the back support bar generallyorthogonal to the back support bar and in proximity to the sides of thehair clipper, thereby preventing the hair clipper from sliding out thestructure while in resting engagement with the back support bar; twobase retaining arms respectively extending from opposite ends of thebase support bar generally orthogonally to the base support bar and inproximity to the lower front of the hair clipper, thereby preventing thehair clipper from sliding frontwardly out of the structure while inresting engagement with the base support bar; and a connecting barextending between and connecting together the base support bar and theback support bar.

DuPont teaches a structure that is designed to receive and retain aparticular size electric hair clipper, and that the two side retainingarms are generally orthogonal to the back support bar. Each of thestructures is angled so that when fitted with a hair clipper the hairclipper rests at an angle no greater than about 60 degrees, whereupright is 90 degrees. In an upright position the hair clipper wouldfall forward out of the structure as the clipper blade projects forwardand is above the clipper body.

The structure taught by DuPont has structural limitations. Theprojecting two side retaining arms terminate in what are essentiallyprods, which is problematic for repetitive hand movements, cleaning, andinexperienced users. Furthermore, the cradle-like structure is notamenable to a more space saving upright mountable holder, and themounted rack requires an edge which necessitates the use of both ahorizontal and a vertical surface. There is no teaching of capability tomount DuPont's rack to either a horizontal surface (counter or tabletop) or a vertical surface (wall), only an edge.

In the specification geometric terminology is used, and some of theterms are not commonly used. A circle is associated with a completerotation of an arc through 360°. A semi-circle is associated with a halfarc having a rotation through 180°. Minor arcs are associated with lessthan half of a rotation, so minor arcs are associated with angles lessthan 180°. Major arcs are associated with more than half of a rotation,but less than 360°. In geometry, a chord is the length between the endsof an arc, including minor arcs, major arcs, and semicircular arcs. Arcsare terms of the art for ellipses as well as circles, wherein an ellipsecan have a uniform radius in all directions and, therefore, a circle isa special type of ellipse, where the eccentricity is zero. Most ellipsesare not circles. Typically, the radius on a horizontal coordinate isdifferent than on a vertical coordinate. For example a semi-ellipticalarc has a rotation which is 180°, but it can have a radius that islonger along one coordinate than along an orthogonal coordinate, or theycould be the same. The term semi-elliptical includes both possibilities.Also, in discussing 3-D structures, arch is typically employed insteadof arc, but within the metes and bounds of this specification the termarc will be used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first object of the invention is that the clipper holder provides forsecuring clippers in an upright or an angled position.

A second object of the invention is that the clipper holder has noprotruding unprotected ends. If the clipper holder has an end, the endis not protruding and/or is protected by a structural element. Forexample, opposing ends of a major arc are not protruding and/or areprotected, as one is at least partially blocked by the other opposingend.

A third object of the invention is to provide a clipper holder that canbe mounted to a horizontal surface, a vertical surface, or an edgesurface.

A fourth object of the invention is that the clipper holder can becombined with other clipper holders, and when mounted together, form arack.

A fifth object of the invention is that the clipper holder canaccommodate a variety of different sized hair clippers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing invention will become readily apparent by referring to thefollowing detailed description and the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of a clipper holder, illustrating the holdermounted to a planar plate and positioned in a substantially verticalposition;

FIG. 2 is a plan overhead view of the clipper holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the clipper holder shown in FIG. 1,illustrating the clipper holder mounted to a planar plate that ismounted to a horizontal surface;

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the clipper holder shown in FIG. 1,illustrating the clipper holder mounted to a planar plate that ismounted to a vertical surface;

FIG. 5 is a frontal view of an unmounted clipper holder having a largerupper enclosure to accommodate a larger hair clipper;

FIG. 6 is a plan overhead view of the clipper holder shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a clipper holder with left andright frontal portions and no blunt ends or blunt tips, wherein theclipper holder is mounted on a substantially horizontal surface;

FIG. 8 is a perspective frontal view of the clipper holder shown in FIG.7, illustrating the clipper holder mounted to a substantially verticalsurface, wherein a conventional electric hair clipper is shown in ghostusing dashed lines;

FIG. 9 is a perspective frontal view of the clipper holder shown in FIG.7, illustrating an unmounted clipper holder in a substantially uprightposition, wherein a professional electric hair clipper having acylindrical body is shown in ghost using dashed lines;

FIG. 10 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having anL-angled plate mounted to an edge, wherein the holders on ends of theplate are larger than the two medial clipper holders;

FIG. 11 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having anL-angled plate, which has been attached to an L-angled bracket, shownseparately in FIG. 11a , and the rack utilizing the L-angled bracket ismounted to a vertical surface indicated by the dashed line;

FIG. 11a is a perspective frontal view of the L-angled bracket;

FIG. 12 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder (without amounting plate) that has a smaller upper enclosure;

FIG. 13 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having anL-angled plate, wherein the rack has three clipper holders;

FIG. 14 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having anL-angled plate that has five holders;

FIG. 15 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having aplanar plate that is mounted vertically, wherein the rack has sixclipper holders; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective frontal view of a clipper holder rack having aplanar plate that is mounted vertically, wherein the rack has sixclipper holders with a left and a right frontal portion, as illustratedin FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a clipper holder for an electrical hair clipper.Electric hair clippers are driven by an electric motor which makes theblades oscillate from side to side. There are at least three differentmotor types that are used in clipper production: magnetic, rotary andpivot. Rotary style may be driven by direct current or alternatingcurrent electricity source. Both magnetic and pivot style clippers usemagnetic forces derived from winding copper wire around steel.Alternating current creates a cycle attracting and relaxing to a springto create the speed and torque to drive the clipper cutter across thecombing blade. Some electric clippers utilize a power source, likerechargeable batteries, and require intermittent connection to acharging cord, typically when they are in a clipper holder.

Substantially all electric hair clippers have a static comb covering theoscillating blades. The static comb is affixed to a housing for theelectrical components. Traditionally, the housing is referred to as thebody. In many cases, but certainly not all, an upper body of the clipperhas a width that tapers toward a lower body, ending in an attenuatedwidth. The body terminates with an electrical cord having a cord widthwhich is selected from a strain relief width or a recharging cordconnector width for clippers having rechargeable batteries. In newerstyle clippers instead of being tapered, the body is closer to beingcylindrical. The disclosed clipper holder can accommodate existing andanticipated forms of the body.

The clipper holder 10 as shown in FIG. 1 includes: an upper enclosure 12of a sturdy material, such as a relatively stiff metal wire, formed intoa major arc element 14 having a diameter 17 that is sufficiently largeto accommodate the upper body of the electrical hair clipper, wherein aleft portion 14L of the major arc element terminates in a blunt left end16L, and a right portion 14R of the major arc element 14 terminates in ablunt right end 16R. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the blunt left andright ends are opposing 16L, 16R versus projecting, and an open spacebetween the blunt left end and the blunt right end defines an upperfrontal opening 19 that is sufficiently wide to allow the passage of anelectrical cord. The length of the upper frontal opening is the chordlength of the major arc element 14. As is readily seen the major arcelement is approximately 290 degrees±about 60 degrees. The illustratedsturdy material is a steel wire having a gauge of about 6±about 2.

A lower enclosure 22 having a similar sturdy material is formed into asemicircular arc element 24 that is about coplanar and coaxial with theupper enclosure 12. The semicircular arc element 23 has a smallerdiameter, but it is sufficiently large to accommodate the cord width ofthe electrical hair clipper. An exemplary electrical cord width isillustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. See the strain relief 4 and the electricalcord 5 in FIGS. 8 and 9. A left portion 24L of the semicircular arcelement 24 is contiguous with a left curvilinear portion 25L thatextends forward, and then curves upward toward the blunt left end 16L ofthe upper enclosure 12 terminating in a left vertical straight extension27L with a blunt left tip 26L, a right portion 24R of the semicirculararc element 24 contiguous with a right curvilinear portion 25R thatextends forward, and then curves upward toward the blunt right end 16Rof the upper enclosure 12 terminating in a right vertical straightextension 27R with a blunt right tip 26R. The right vertical straightextension 27R is parallel to the left vertical extension 27L, and a slotbetween the left vertical straight extension and the right verticalstraight extension defines a lower frontal opening 29 that issufficiently wide to allow the passage of the electrical cord. The leftand right vertical straight extensions 27L, 27R restrain an insertedhair clipper 1 from moving forward and the semicircular arc element 24prevents the hair clipper from moving left, right or rearward as theelectrical cord is projecting through the semicircular arc element ofthe lower enclosure 22 (see FIGS. 8 and 9 to see the position of thestrain relief 4 and electrical cord 5).

As best viewed in FIG. 3, a rod 30, which is an angled connecting rearmetal wire_(L) provides support for the upper enclosure 12 and the lowerenclosure 22, wherein an upper end of an inclined upper section 30 u ofthe rod 30 is welded to a rear mid-way perimeter portion of the upperenclosure 12, bends at the apex section 30 a, and angles inward tocompensate for the smaller diameter of the lower enclosure 22, wherein alower end of an inclined lower section 301 of the rod is welded to arear mid-way perimeter portion of the lower enclosure 22.

As shown in FIG. 4 the angled rod 30 of the clipper holder enables it tobe mounted on both horizontal and vertical surfaces. In the illustratedembodiment the angled rod 30 is bent about 60±9 degrees from straight.The illustrated lower angle is slightly more obtuse with respect to themounting plate 40, about 35 degrees±about 4 degrees, than the upperangle, which is about 21 degrees±about 4 degrees.

The clipper holder includes a mounting plate 40 for mounting one or moreclipper holders to a surface, wherein the surface can be vertical,horizontal, or angled. The angled connecting rear metal wire rod 30 iswelded directly to the mounting plate 40 or alternatively to componentson the mounting plate. The mounting plate is subsequently fastened tothe surface. The illustrated mounting plate 40 in FIGS. 1-4 issubstantially planar.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an embodiment wherein the upper enclosure 12has a larger diameter than the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, howeverthe chord length 19 is still about the same. In general, the chord sizedoesn't change as much as the body of the clippers.

A second embodiment of a clipper holder is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9,wherein the clipper holder has no tips or blunt ends. As before theholder is for an electrical hair clipper having an upper body width anda lower body width that terminates with an electrical cord having a cordwidth which is selected from a strain relief width or a recharging cordconnector width.

The clipper holder includes: an upper enclosure 12 of a first metalwire, of a sturdy gauge, formed into a major arc element 14 having adiameter 17 that is sufficiently large to accommodate the upper body 3,3′ of the electrical hair clipper 1 as shown in FIG. 8, and electricalhair clipper 1′ as shown in FIG. 9. A left portion 14L of the major arcelement 14 concludes, continuing as a left downwardly curved frontalcurvilinear element that is contiguously adjoined with a left verticalextension described below. A right portion 14R of the major arc element14 concludes, continuing as a right downwardly curved frontalcurvilinear element that is contiguously adjoined with a right verticalextension as described below, wherein the left downwardly curved frontalcurvilinear element and the right downwardly curved frontal curvilinearelement define an upper frontal opening 19U as shown in FIG. 9 that issufficiently wide to allow the passage of the electrical cord. The upperfrontal opening is nominally comparable the equivalent to the chordlength previously discussed.

A lower enclosure 22 of a second metal wire, also of a sturdy gauge,formed into a smaller major arc element 15 that is about coplanar andcoaxial with the upper enclosure having a diameter that is smaller butsufficiently large to accommodate the cord width of the electrical hairclipper, a left portion 15L of the smaller major arc element contiguouswith a left curvilinear portion 29L that extends forward, and thencurving upward, toward the left downwardly curved frontal curvilinearelement of the upper enclosure, forming the left vertical extensionwhich is contiguous with the left downwardly curved frontal curvilinearelement taken together form a left frontal portion 50L, a right portion15R of the smaller major arc element 15 contiguous with a rightcurvilinear portion 29R that extends forward, and then curving upward,toward the right downwardly curved frontal curvilinear element of theupper enclosure, forming the right vertical straight extension which iscontiguous with the right downwardly curved frontal curvilinear elementtaken together form a right frontal portion 50R, wherein the rightfrontal portion and the left frontal portion are about parallel and havea lower opening 19L, and a slot between the left frontal portion and theright frontal portion defines a vertical frontal opening 19 that issufficiently wide to allow the passage of the electrical cord, the leftfrontal portion 50L and the right frontal portion 50R retain the hairclipper(s) 1, 1′ from moving forward and an appropriately sized hairclipper is held about axially in the clipper holder 10′. The smallermajor arc 15 of the lower enclosure 22 centers the clipper's stainrelief 4, 4′ of the electrical cord 5, 5′, which in turn restrains thelower body 3, 3′ of the clipper as illustrated in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. Theclipper 1′ in FIG. 9 is illustrative of a profession grade hair clipper,and has a substantially cylindrical body.

The angled connecting rear metal wire rod 30 provides support for theupper enclosure 12 and the lower enclosure 22, wherein an upper end ofthe rod is welded to a rear mid-way perimeter portion of the major arcelement 14 and extends about outwardly downward from the upper enclosure12 and angles inward compensating for the smaller diameter of the lowerenclosure, wherein a lower end of the rod is welded to a rear mid-wayperimeter portion of the smaller major arc element.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 the holder has a mounting plate 40 formounting one or more clipper holders to a surface, wherein the surfacecan be vertical, horizontal, or angled, wherein the angled connectingrear metal wire rod is welded directly to the mounting plate oralternatively to components of the mounting plate, which is subsequentlyfastened to the surface.

FIG. 10 illustrates a rack of four clipper holders. The rack of fourclipper holders has an L-angled plate 54 version of the mounting plate40, so that it can be mounted to an edge intersection of a horizontalsurface and a vertical surface. In the illustrated rack the clipperholders on opposing ends of the plate are larger than the two medialclipper holders. The angled plate has holes for fastening elements, andthe angled connecting rear metal wire rod is welded to an external fold42 of the angled plate.

FIG. 11 illustrates the rack with four clipper holders shown in FIG. 10,which is now attached to an L-angled bracket 64 shown separately in FIG.11a . The rack is mounted to a vertical surface indicated by the dashedline.

FIG. 11a illustrates the L-angled bracket 64.

A clipper holder without a mounting plate has a smaller upper enclosure12, and is illustrated in FIG. 12.

As a guideline, the diameter of the major arc element of the upperenclosure is from about 1.25 inches to about 2.75 inches, and thediameter of the semicircular arc element of the lower enclosure is fromabout 0.875 inches to about 1.25 inches. The gauge of the metal wire isabout 6±about 2, wherein the metal wire is steel. The steel can bepowder coated or dipped to apply paint and/or a rubbery protectivecoating. The selected coating preferably does not hold a staticelectricity charge, as this will tend to effect an accumulation ofclippings.

In general, the clipper holders on a rack are separated equidistancefrom each other, where equidistance is measured from adjoiningperimeters of an outside diameter of the major arc element of the upperenclosure.

The rack in FIG. 13 has an L-angled plate 53 version of the genericmounting plate 40, wherein the rack has three clipper holders.

The rack in FIG. 14 has an L-angled plate 55 version of the genericmounting plate 40, wherein the rack has five clipper holders.

A nominal upper number of holders is about nine. That said, the clipperholder in FIG. 15 has a rack with a planar plate 56 that is mountedvertically, wherein the rack has six clipper holders.

A rack of clipper holders having parallel right and left frontalportions 50L, 50R and a lower enclosure 22 with a smaller major arc 15is illustrated in FIG. 16. The rack of clipper holders 10′ has sixclipper holders 10′ mounted vertically on an elongated plate 56′ versionof the mounting plate 40. The illustrated holders were previously shownin FIGS. 7-9 on as singles on mounting plate 40.

The rack of clipper holders can include any combination or variation ofclipper holders 10, 10′.

Finally, any numerical parameters set forth in the specification andattached claims are approximations (for example, by using the term“about”) that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought tobe obtained by the present invention. At the very least, and not as anattempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to thescope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least beconstrued in light of the number of significant digits and by applyingordinary rounding.

What is claimed is:
 1. A clipper holder rack for an electrical hairclipper having a upper body portion defining an upper body width and alower body portion defining a lower body width and an electrical cordhaving a cord width, wherein said clipper holder rack comprises: amounting plate for mounting the clipper holder to a support surface,wherein the support surface can be vertical, horizontal, or angled;wherein the mounting plate has a front surface, a rear surface, a top,and a bottom, wherein the entire mounting plate is planar and the rearsurface of the mounting plate is configured to abut the support surface;and at least one clipper holder, wherein each clipper holder comprises:an upper enclosure comprised of a first metal wire formed into a majorarc element that is greater than 180 degrees and less than 360 degreeswith a first diameter that is greater than the upper body width of theelectrical hair clipper, wherein a left half portion of the major arcelement arcs rightward terminating in a left end, a right half portionof the major arc element arcs leftward terminating in a right end thatis proximate to the left end, wherein an open space is formed betweenthe left end and the right end, said open space defining an upperfrontal opening for the upper enclosure; wherein the upper body portionof the electrical hair clipper is configured stored within the upperenclosure; a lower enclosure having a second diameter that is smallerthan the first diameter of the upper enclosure, wherein the lowerenclosure is comprised of a second metal wire, said second metal wireformed into a semicircular arc element that is spaced apart from,generally parallel to, and generally coaxial with the major arc elementof the upper enclosure, wherein the second diameter of the semicirculararc element is configured to support the lower body portion of theelectrical hair clipper, a left side portion of the semicircular arcelement is continuous with a left side curvilinear portion that extendsforwardly from the left side portion of the semicircular arc element,wherein a distal portion the left side curvilinear portion curvesupwardly toward the left end of the upper enclosure, wherein a leftvertical straight extension is continuous with the distal portion of theleft side curvilinear portion, wherein the left vertical straightextension is generally perpendicular with respect to the semicirculararc element; wherein a terminal end of the left vertical straightextension defines a left tip, a right side portion of the semicirculararc element is continuous with a right curvilinear side portion thatextends forwardly from the right side portion of the semicircular arcelement, wherein a distal portion the right side curvilinear portioncurves upwardly toward the right end of the upper enclosure, wherein aright vertical straight extension is continuous with the distal portionof the right side curvilinear portion, wherein the right verticalstraight extension is generally perpendicular with respect to thesemicircular arc element; wherein a terminal end of the right verticalstraight extension defines a right tip, wherein the right verticalstraight extension is generally parallel to the left vertical extension,and a slot is formed between the left vertical straight extension andthe right vertical straight extension, wherein the slot defines a lowerfrontal opening that is wide enough to allow passage of the cord widthof the electrical cord of the electrical hair clipper, wherein the leftand right vertical straight extensions retain the hair clipper andprevents the hair clipper from moving forward; and an angled rear rodcomprising an inclined upper section terminating in a upper end, aninclined lower section terminating in a lower end, and a midsection;wherein the inclined upper section extends diagonally upward from themidsection and the inclined lower section extends diagonally downwardfrom the midsection; wherein the midsection defines an apex wherein theangled rear rod is bent at the apex to form the inclined upper sectionand the inclined lower section; wherein a top portion of the inclinedupper section is attached to the upper enclosure, and a bottom portionof the inclined lower section is attached to the lower enclosure whereinthe apex of the angled rear rod is mounted directly to the mountingplate or components of the mounting plate.
 2. The clipper holder rackaccording to claim 1, wherein the first diameter of the major arcelement of the upper enclosure is about 1.25 inches to about 2.75inches.
 3. The clipper holder rack according to claim 1, wherein thesecond diameter of the semicircular arc element of the lower enclosureis about 0.875 inches to about 1.25 inches.
 4. The clipper holder rackaccording to claim 1, wherein the first metal wire of the upperenclosure and the second metal wire of the lower enclosure each have agauge that is about 6±about
 2. 5. The clipper holder rack according toclaim 1, wherein the first metal wire and the second metal wire are eachmade of steel.
 6. The clipper holder rack according to claim 1, whereinthe at least one clipper holder comprises two clipper holders that areeach mounted to the mounting plate.
 7. The clipper holder rack accordingto claim 6, wherein the two clipper holders are spaced from each other.